Pistol



Jan. 26, 1932. PQ VON FRANTZIUS 1,842,922

PISTOL Filed June 1S, 1931 PETER.. vos rm'rzms, or cHIciiGoI ILLINOIS,

atented dan. 26, 1932 iissIGNon To rxzeitciiiinsy GasmUN'I'rIoNs c zoiiiiomi'rioia,A or cHIcAGo, ILLINOIS, A, conPonA'rIoN or ILLINOIS Application ililed June 18, 1931. 'Serial No. 545,177.

The invention relates generally to 'pistols i or Weapons'for dischargino tear gas or simi- 5 charging pistol Awhich lar incapacitating fluid. ore particularly, the invention relates to that type of gas discomprises a tubular stock, a barrel at one end lof the stock for retaining a gas cartridge,` a spring-pressed i end of the' longitudinal slot for the stud on the Stud which cartridge in the compartment plunger' which is slidably mounted inthe'. stock and embodies a firing pin for engaging the percussion cap of the cartridge, and-'av is adapted to be used to retract the plunger against the force of the spring andextends through a longitudinally extending A.. further object of the invention is to providc a gas discharging pistol ofthe type iinder considerationin Which the stock has a slot which communicates with' the cooking spring-pressed* plunger, extends along one provide a ga'sdischarging side of and substantially to theiir-ing'end of the longitudinal slot, and, cooperates with the.

stu-d to hold releasably the' plunger in a safe position, thatis; in the position wherein it isspaced asmalldistance from the cartridge.

.Astill further objectof the invention is to simple and improved means for preventing cartridgesvcontaining bulletsI or projectilesI from bein'z dischargecl-rom'the b'arreLz In addition, it is contemplated as one of the .objects 4'of the invention to providev a gas 'discharging pistol which may be manuac-l tiired at a comparatively low cost and is more eiicient in operation than previously designed pistols of `the vsaine general character.'

vOther objects of the invention` and the va-- `rions advantages, and characteristics. of vthe gas discharging pistol oflthis type which is` Adricai plungerB-is pistol embodying the breech block in .present Apistol Aconstruction willi/be apparent f to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the' following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features Iwhich are hereinafter set forth and are mre particularl'ydetined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

Inj the drawings \whi`chv accompany and form a p art of this specification or disclo, lsure and 1n which like numerals ofreferenoe denote corresponding partsthroughout the several views Fig. l is fa perspective ofa pistol embody-v` ing the invention;

Fig'. 2 is a longitudinal section exhibiting in detail lie manner in which the slot which.,

communicates with thecocking end of the longitudinal s lot cooperates with the, stud on" the spring-pressedplunger to hold the plunger in its safe position;

- Fig. 3 is a perspective of the stock; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View the barrel of the to prevent the firing` of cartridges containf ing bullets. i

of the present invention is-i'n theform of a police clubl and isdesigied to fire a tear gas cartridge c. It comprises 'an elongated Stock (lliY illustrating in detail the manner in which istol is constructed so as The pistol whiclrfornis the subject matter 5 which has formed therein a longitudinally extending. bore 6 and is shaped toform a handle whereby the club-like pistol ma. wielded or pointed; The bore 6 is of'uni orm` diameterjthrouglioiitand extends from the' central or medial portion ofthe stock tothe inner end ofthe stock. An elongated cylinmouiited slidably in the bore '6 and is' provided at one end thereof with a firing pin 9. The inner end of the stock '5 is provided with in the open end of the bore 6 and embodies an enlarged socket 11.l A breech block y12 .fits in the ope en'd ofy the stock and is provided with an external screwthread which engages o o an internal'screw thread 10 the internal screw thread 10 and serves tohold thread 10 is prefera breech block, when screwed ,as aras p ossible into the bore, is retained m 'a'. position lace. lThe internal screwj bly of such len h that the Awherein the outer face thereof is lush' with the portion of the stock that deiines the inner end of the socket 11. The breech block 12 has a kerf or slot'13 in .the outer face thereof to receive a key or screw driver whereby it may be rotated into andou't of its operative posiembodies at the inner end thereof a stem 17.

The latter is formed integrally with the barrel and embodies an external screw thread 18 lwhich is adaptedto engage an internal screw thread 19in the portion of the stock that dei fines the side' Wall of the socket 11 so as to connect he barrel removably to .the stock.

The portion of the central opening 16 at the inner or stem-equipped end of the barrel 1s shaped to receive the tear gas cartridge 0.

. The end face of the stem 17 is adapted togengage .the rim of the cartridge and operates, when the barrel is screwed into its operatlve position, tov hold the cartridge against the breechblock 12, as illustrated in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. To load the pistol, the barrel 15 is first disconnected from the stock 5 and then the gas cartridge c is .inserted into place. Thereafter the. barrel. with the cartridge therein is connected to the stock by screwing the stem 17 into the socket 11 until the rim of the cartridge is clamped between the breech block and the inner face of the stem.

The plunger 8 is constructed sothat it slides freely in-the bore 6 a-nd is operated to discharge the cartridge c by means of a coil spring 20. The latter is' confined in the closed g end portion of the bore 6 and bears against ythe plunger 8.l The plunger is retracted ,against the force of the spring 2() byv means of a stud 21. The latter comprises a shank l22, one end of which `extends transversely through and'is screw threaded to the central portion of the plunger. The other end of the shanlfprojects through a straight longitudiyso nally extending slot 23 in the stock andis provided with'a head 24. .The slot 23 operates to permit the plunger to be retracted against the force of the spring a suiicient distance to result in the firing of the cartridge when the plunger is released. .k

In order to prevent the .pistol from being discharged accidentally in the ,event that it shouldbe dropped or jarred,\`aslot 25 is formed in the lstock 5. This slot, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, of the drawings, is adapted to receive the stud v21 and is arranged so`that one end thereof is connected vto and communicates with the cocking end of the straight longitudinally extending slot 23.

The other end of the slot 25 is positioned but a'small distance from the firing endof the slot and serves, when the stud is confined .or cocked position.

cartridge.-

tion, that is, in a position wherein the plunger is spaced from the breech block 12 so that the tiring pin 9 is out of contact or engagement with the percussion cap of the tear gas cartridge o. The s lot 25 is substantially straight, extends-at a. comparatively small angle with respect tothe slot 23 and is joined or connected to the cocking end of the slot 23 by a curved portion 25a. The latter makes it possible to insert 'the stud 21 into the slot-25 When the plunger 8 is retracted into its tiring i When it is desired to lock the plunger in its safe position, the stud 21, by manipulation of the head 24,-is shifted toward the outer end of the stock 25 so as to retract the plunger 8 again-st the force of the coil spring 20. lWhen the stud 21 reaches the cocking end of the slot-23, it is shifted laterally in tothe curved portion 25a of the slot 25 and is then released. Upon release of the stud, the coil spring 20'forces the plunger l 8 towards the cartridge until it is arrested as the result of the shank 22 of the stud coming `in contact with the closed endof the slot 25.

When it isdesired to releasethe plunger from its locked or safe position, the stud 21 is shifted toward the curved portion 25a of the sionjcap of the cartridge 0. The slot 25 exemplilies simple and improved means for releasably locking the plunger 8 in a position vwherein the firing pin 9 is spaced from the breech block 12 and is out of contact with'the To veliminate the possibility of a. cartridge with a bulletbeing fired from the pistol` the portion of\the opening 16 in the outer end of the barrel 15 is formed so thatoit is of less diameter than the cartridge-receiving portion. An annular shoulder 26 joins the portion of the opening of reduced orsmaller diameter than the cartridge-receiving portion. This shoulder serves asan abutment and opcrates as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to arresta bullet or projectile of a. regular cartridge in the event that such a( cartridge is fired in the barrel. To prevent the bullet of a regular cartridge from being forced through the opening of smaller diameter, radially extending ducts 27 are formed in the inner end of the barrel. The. ducts extend from the cartridge-receivin;l` portion of the opening 16 to the outer face of the barrel and permit the. gas and products of combustion to escape so that they are dissipated. and do not tendy to force the bullet or 'projectile through the barrel. There arepreferably four ducts. `The latter are disp'osed midway between the annular shoulder 26 and the base part of the externally threaded stem 17. By so disposing or positioning' the ducts, the inner ends of the ducts are not coi-ered by the shell or casing' of a cartridge containing a bullet and hence are exposed so as tovpermit of the Iready egressor discharge of the gas and products of combustion du-ring. firing from the barrel of a .virtue of thefact that the shell or casing of the gas cartridge 0 is of greater length than the shellv or casing of a regular cartridge, the

ducts 17 are covered when a gas cartridge 1s used in the cartridge-reeivingportion of the opening 16 and arel hence closed against the discharge of gas therethrough.

The outer end of the stock -5 1s provided ywithV a reduced stem 28 an'd embodies a cy- -lindrical compartment- 29 for/a spare gas ,car-

tridge c. The compartment 29 extend-s through the stern 28 and into the interior of the stock 5 and is normally closed by a capY 30. The latter has formed therein a central socket 31 for the stem 28 andis secured removably to the stem by means of an internal screw thread 32. The latter-is adapted to engage an external screw thread on thestem 28.

To permit the pistol to be carried readily, a strap 33 is provided.` v This strap is formed of leather or any other suitable material and extends through an-e'ye 34 which iscarried by the cap 30. Theeye 34 embodies a stud 35 which extends throughvan opening in the central portion of the cap Aand is beaded or riveted over so' as to connect permanently the eye 34 to the cap and form a. rotatable or swivel connection whereby the, eye may be readily turned relatively to the pistol. "When the cap is in its closed or operative position, the beadedover or riveted porti' n o f the stud abuts. against thevrilny port \n of' the spare gascartridge cvand holds the cartridge against displacement in the compartinent 29, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The cap 30 is rounded and is preferably of greater diameter than the outer endI of the stock 5 so that'it forms together with the contiguous portion of the stock, a wellde'fined handle for the pistol.r The portion of the stock adjacent the cap `embodies a series of annular grooves 36 which tend to prevent slippage of .theclub when rthe handle part of the pistol is held in the hand: The barrel l5 forms the head .of the club-shaped pistol.'

. The pistol may be carried by'gripping the y stock around the grooved portion or by holding the strap 33. When it is desired' to load the pistol, the barrel l5'is removed-from the stock and the gas cartridge is inserted into the cartridge-receiving portion of the opening 16, as previously pointed out. After insertion of the cartridge, the barrel is con- 'nected to the stock by rotatingjthe stem 17 into connectednrela-tion with the internalVv regular cartridge. By

screw thread in the socket 11. Firing of the y gas cartridge is effected by -shifting the stud' f 21 into the cooking end of the longltudinally extending slot 23 so as to retract the r8. When the stud is released, the spring 20 forces the plunger towardthe cartridge and eli'ects firing of the cartridge through the medium of the firing pin 9 andthe percussion cap ofthe cartridge. After firing the pistol, if it is desired to reload, the sparecartridge c is withdrawn from the compartment 29 by plunger remoiing-the cap 30 and inserting it into the4 socket-receiving portion of the opening 16 while the barrel and stock are in disconnected relation.` When it is desired to carry the pistgl with the gas .cartridge in the barrel, the

plunger is locked in its safe position by shifting the 'stud 21 into the slot 25.r The' latter, as hereinbefore described, cooperates with the stud so. as to hold releasably thep plunger 8 in a position wherein the firing pin .9 is spaced from the breech block 12.

The herein disclosed pistol may bemannfactured at a comparatively low Ycost -by virpended claims, without .departing from theY 4spirit and scope ofthe invention. v

, Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: s n

1. A club-shaped pistol of the character described, comprising in combination'a stock shaped to -form a handle fer the pistol yand having an internally threaded socket in one' no end thereof and-'a bore of less diameter than the socket extending longit'pdinally through thev .central portion thereof .and intersecting the lnner vend face of saidysocket, a barrel for a c'artridge'shap'edto form the lhead of the club and provided atw one end thereof with a reduced v externally threaded" stem for insert1on into andf'direct connection tothe interi nally threaded socket, an apertured breech?l i block secured in the portion ofthe bore that intersects the inner end face of thel socket'and arranged so that its outer end is substantially j tlushwith said face, a plunger mounted slidably in the bore and provided with a firing pin for contact with thepercussion cap of the cartridge via. the aperture in the breech block, a spring for actuatingy the plunger confined inthe bore, and means for retracting' the pl ger' against the force of the spring for pistol cooking purposes.

2. A club-shaped pistol of the character de-` y shaped scribed, comprising in combination a stock to form a handle for the pistol and having a longitudinal bore extending from the medial portion thereof through one end and a cylindrical spare cartridge chamber in lts other end and aligned with the bore, a cap for closing the sparc cartridge compartment secured removably to the said other end of the stock and shaped to form an enlarged knob'- like part on 'the handle of the pistol,- a barrel for a cartridge shaped to form the head of the pistol and secured removably to' the said one end of the stock, a plunger mounted slidably in the bore and provided with a firing pin for the cartridge, a spring for actuating the vplunger confined in the bore, and means for retracting the plunger against the force of the spring for pistol cooking purposes.

3. A club-shaped pistol ofthe character described, comprising in combination a stock shaped to form a handle for the pistol and having a longitudinal bore extending from the medialportion thereof through one end -and a cylindrical spare cartridge chamber in its other end and aligned with the bore, a knob-like cap for closing the spare cartridge compartment secured removably to said other end of the stock and provided with an eye for a hand strap, a barrel for a cartridge shaped to form the head of the pistol and secured removably to the said one end of the stock, a

A plunger mounted slidably in the bore and prosecured removably tridge, a spring vided With a firing pin for the cartridge, a spring for actuating the plunger confined in the bore,and means for retracting the Aplunger against the force of the spring for pistol cocking purposes. l

4. In a pistol, the combination of an elongated stock having a longitudinal bore extendingthrough one-end thereof and a substantially straight longitudinally extending slot in its side Wall, a barrel for a cartridge to the said one end of the stock, a plunger mounted slidably in the bore and provided with a ring pin for the carfor actuating the plunger contined in the bore, and a stud projecting v laterally from the plunger through the slot lil) and adapted for use in retracting the plunger into an operative position against the force of the spring for pistol cocking purposes, the stock having formed therein a second slot I which joins and communicates with the cock- ,"in'g end of the straight slot, extends along one side of and substantially to the firing end of said straight slot and cooperates with the stud when the latter is inserted therein to hold releasably the plunger in a position wherein the firing pin is spaced from the per- 1 eussion cap of the cartridge.

5. In a pistol, the combina-tion of an elongated stock having a longitudinal bore extending through one end thereof andaJ substantially straight longitudinally extending Islot in bits side Wall, a barrel for a cartridge and provided with a lil-ing pin for the cartridge, a spring for actuating the plunger confined in the bore, and a stud projecting laterally from the plunger through the slot andadapted for use in retracting the plunger int-o an operative position against the force of the spring for pistol cooking purposes, the stock having formed therein a second slot which is joined to and communicates with the cooking end of the straight slot through a rounded entrance, extends along one side of and substantially to the firing end of said straight slot and cooperates with the stud when the latter is inserted therein to lock the plunger in a position wherein the firing pin is spaced from the percussion cap of the cartridge. Y

6. In a pistol for discharging incapacitating gas, the combination of an elongated stock aving a longitudinal bore extending through one side thereof, a spring-pressed firing plunger mounted slidably in the bore, a barrel having one end thereof shaped to receive a gas cartridge and secured removably t the said one end of the bore, and means associated with the central portion of the barrel for arresting a bullet in the event that a regular cartridge is fired in the barrel, said barrel having a laterally extending duct positioned adjacent the bullet arresting means and serving as an outlet whereby the gas and products of combustion are discharged after iring of a regular cartridge in the barrel.

7 In a plstol for discharging incapacitating gas, the combination of an elongated stock having a longitudinal bore extending through one side thereof, a spring-pressed firing plunger mounted slidably in the bore, a, barrel having one end thereof secured removably to the said one end of the stock and embodying a longitudinal opening eX- tending therethrough, the portion of the opening in the said one end of the barrel being shaped to receive a gas cartridge, the other portion of the opening being of less diameter and joined to the cartridge-receiving i portion by an annular shoulder which serves to arrest a bullet in the event that a regular cartridge is-fired in the barrel, said barrel being provided with a laterally extending duct adjacent the shoulder and communicating with the cartridge-receiving portion of the opening for exhausting gas and products of combustion from 'said cartridge-receiving portion of the opening during firing of a reg-, ular bullet.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 15th dayy of June, 1931.v

PETER -voN FRANTZIUS. 

